


You, too, deserve all the love in the world

by LinaLuthor



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Celebrations, Crimson Flower Route, Edelthea, F/F, Pining, Post-Canon, Romantic Fluff, Wedding Planning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:55:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24857992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinaLuthor/pseuds/LinaLuthor
Summary: The war against the Church of Seiros has just been won. For months, the members of the former Black Eagles Strike Force spend their days in the Enbarr Palace as they physically and emotionally heal, while helping others to do the same. In that enviromnent, love manifests itself when Byleth and Mercedes finally confess their true feelings. There is only a problem, though: with the church being no more, how would they get married?Under Dorothea's brooding eyes, Edelgard herself agrees to oversee wedding preparations on top of her endless list of Imperial chores.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Edelgard von Hresvelg, Mercedes von Martritz/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	You, too, deserve all the love in the world

Sometimes Edelgard could still smell charred stone and burned grass, feel the grind of muscle on bone and the weight of Aymr on her hands, though it was nothing compared to how heavily she took the burden of freeing Fódlan. Liberation from the tyranny of the Church of Seiros was indeed a great undertaking, one that almost cost her the life of those she loved and had grown to trust over time. It was incredible to see how they indeed had gotten out of it alive, though deeply touched by all of the events they had to withstand during the almost six-year-war.

The members of the Black Eagles Strike Force had emerged victorious, albeit scarred not only on the physical plane. Most of them had reported nightmares for months after they had indeed vanquished the Immaculate One, disturbing dreams of huge dragons with gaping mouths and sharp teeth tearing through them or their loved ones. Or the entire continent in flames due to a mad archbishop’s orders, a last resort to make things harder and destroy as much as she could, perhaps strike fear in the eyes of the still faithful. The possibilities for nightly terrors were endless and shared in daily gatherings with wide, weary eyes and closed-off demeanors.

That they had predicted, was exactly the main motivation that drove the Emperor to ask her friends to remain in Enbarr for a while and keep in close contact while they healed. Although they had commanded huge armies and those people were also dealing with their own difficulties in the aftermath of the war, only they knew how much they had suffered, the personal sacrifices big and small they had been forced to make, all the pain they had endured during and even before the conflict.

Hence the suggestion was easily accepted and cherished, even. The Emperor was comforted by their presence and words, even if some like Dorothea, Bernadetta and Linhardt had kept to their quarters for entire weeks, only being able to step outside and participate in daily meetings after some time had passed. Petra, Mercedes, Ferdinand, Hubert, Caspar and Byleth had been more than eager to be put to work, aiding Edelgard in whatever way they could as they coped through what had happened by taking an active stance. Small errands were provided, though nothing bad enough to overtax them – those bigger, longer, more time-consuming tasks El reserved to herself, against their explicit orders for her to rest.

Slowly but surely they did work through the phantoms of war in their own particular ways. It didn’t take long for Dorothea to grace them with some singing as she aided Mercedes and Linhardt with healing. Caspar and Petra started exercise routines with the injured so they could go back to their usual lines of work as soon as possible, whereas Ferdinand and Hubert were more than happy to tackle administrative matters alongside the Emperor (and there were a lot of these, since Fódlan was now a big, unified territory under one single rule). Bernadetta would most likely be found in the gardens, or helping those artistically inclined to express their grief through painting, sculpting and embroidering.

As for Byleth… The woman had needed a few more days to rest after her heart had finally started beating, her body weary in a way that she had never felt it before. Sothis was no longer there, at least that much was clear, and although a small part of her would miss the cheeky Goddess, she was actually more relieved when feelings started flooding into her a lot clearer than before. Her smiles widened a lot more when Dorothea sang her an ode, though there were tears in her eyes the moment Bernadetta showed a painting of her, green hair on one side and indigo blue on the other. She laughed silly when a running competition with Petra ended with them accidentally falling into a nearby river, then pouted and experienced some guilt when Edelgard chastised both for that little stunt.

The strongest emotion she had felt, however, came the moment her eyes locked into the gentle dark blue of Mercedes’s. Byleth’s stomach fluttered wildly at that, to the point she wondered if she was getting sick or had eaten too much at lunch, her hands shaking and a rush of blood flowing to her cheeks. The same signals she had seen in many students during their time in Garreg Mach, when they were close those they cared about. Hell, the same thing she had seen in Edelgard, whenever they got to talk in private – or when the professor had discovered the Emperor’s penchant for drawing portraits of her.

She couldn’t deny that a whisper of that sensation coursed through her body whenever she saw the former head of the Black Eagles, yet it was nothing compared to the full-blown reaction she had when she saw Mercedes gently cooing to a hurt child, ushering the little boy to stay still so she could heal him properly. Or how she actually listened to what older patients had to say, their laments and sorrows, then tried her best to offer some advice while patching them with white magic to the best of her capabilities.

And when the blonde had caught Byleth staring at her, then beamed and asked her to help, she completely melted, couldn’t remember how to put one foot in front of the other without tripping. Yes, she wasn’t doing good at all – maybe her stupidly fast, almost erratic heartbeat had something to do with it?

It was only a few weeks later, when she took the courage to talk to Dorothea about it, that she realized she wasn’t sick at all and her heart was doing a very human, very normal thing. She was in love, period. No underlying disease, curse or aftermath of the conflict could be blamed by how elated she felt at seeing the healer, or the giddiness which accompanied her when they got to talk, stand close to one another or simply touch in the most innocent of ways. The day Mercedes actually held her hand and ushered her away to take a look at Bernadetta’s work in the gardens, she thought she would faint from happiness alone.

And of course, there was the evening when they met in one of the tallest towers in the Enbarr palace by sheer accident – since both enjoyed looking at the stars when there was no moon to outshine them – then talked about plans for the future. The way Mercedes’s eyes shone as she spoke about how she would do good and honor what the conflict, Edelgard and Byleth too had taught her (that is, standing her ground and not letting anyone else have a say on what she would do with her life) completely melted the professor’s heart. Her determination, the fire which enlightened her from within, were too much to withstand.

That was when Byleth decided she could no longer ignore what she had been feeling. She opened her mouth to say something, but was beat to it when Mercedes asked if she wouldn’t like meeting her father as well. Unsure of where that would lead at first, the innocent-looking invitation soon evolved into the marriage proposal it was actually meant to be and ended up with both women confessing their love for each other, then exchanging kisses and wondering when or where they could get married with haste.

The two lovebirds were unable to keep it between themselves, though, and the next day pretty much everyone knew what had happened. No, they didn’t summon an extra meeting and make an announcement. They were only guilty of holding hands everywhere, their body language yelling how intimate and close they had become over the years.

They had spent that day whispering about marriage here and there, mostly about who to approach, pondering over the fact that priests were pretty much too hard to spot and had either fallen during the war or retreated to small villages, where they had taken up work healing and aiding people in whatever way possible without displeasing the new government.

The thing was, the couple was so enthusiastic about the entire matter that they weren’t exactly too subtle or silent about it, mumblings easily turning into laugher and louder jests being thrown around.

That was how Edelgard caught wind of the whole deal, when most of the team had already left the huge, circular conference room they had been using for meetings every afternoon. Mercedes and Byleth had been extra secretive and close during that one, the Emperor had noted, and with a defeated, resigned sigh reached the obvious conclusion that they had finally professed their love for one another.

The signs had been clear to see ever since the Professor came back from her five-year-slumber. During their reunion, the blonde had all but run and pulled her in a tight embrace that made Edelgard jealous, for she didn’t have the guts to attempt the same. And from that moment on, those public displays of affection only grew in intensity and frequency as the two were more than often seen together after and even during missions too.

One never dared taking their eyes away from the other when battles raged. Byleth had learned some healing magic in order to aid Mercedes in the infirmary, but was more than eager to make use of the newly acquired skill when fighting too. The Emperor had watched such exchanges from the sidelines, torn at how happy she was at seeing the Professor again and still being her friend, but also silently crying for not being the recipient of such attention.

Even Dorothea’s presence, warm embraces and promises that she would always be there for El hadn’t been enough at the time. As her body and mind carried on a war against the Church of Seiros, her heart battled itself, slowly coming to terms with the fact that her schoolgirl crush would forever stay like that and perhaps she hadn’t really been meant to find love anyways. No, her role in this world was something else altogether, and she should stop being so selfish and focus on all she was so close to achieving instead of complaining for what she couldn’t have.

Besides, she liked Byleth enough to simply lighten up at seeing her smile more and more often, a part of herself also glowing in delight when she saw her and Mercedes strolling through the monastery hand in hand. Yes, the teal-haired woman would always have a place in her heart, to the point that she only wanted her to be happy, no matter who was at her side.

When the grief over that specific situation was over, she found herself acting naturally towards both Byleth and Mercedes again; she even gave herself permission to join in their jokes, tell them some of her deepest secrets and accept help, relying upon the pair in fights and outside of them as well. Thus when she heard whispers of their talk in that particular evening, she could only smile and turn to them.

“Ah, so you two have finally realized you were more than just friends?” Edelgard jested once the only them remained in the room.

“What, were we really that obvious?” Mercedes inquired, blushing the slightest as her fingers entwined with Byleth’s under the round table.

Their different hues of blue irises were dancing as they regarded the Emperor, all smiles and giggles, glowing in the light that apparently love could bring to those it fell upon. What a sight to behold, El thought, and she couldn’t help but beam at the duo while feeling proud of herself for not experiencing any of the darker emotions she had had when she first realized the two were enamored with one another.

“For the longest time, yes. And if you don’t believe me, then ask the rest of our little family.” She paced closer and gave each of them a hug. “It makes me happy to see you together, truly. Now, was that talk of a wedding that I happened to overhear?”

“Actually yes, El.” Byleth said, squeezing her former student’s shoulders before pulling away. “We were wondering how to go about it and soon, too.”

Ugh, that name. Edelgard should have known better than to let her keep using it, but truth be told that wasn’t really that bad. It meant the Professor meant a lot to her, which was still a fact all things considered.

“Hubert and I have been discussing such issues, incidentally. Since the Church of Seiros is no more and most of the priesthood and clergy have been stripped of their power and attributions, it is only fair for the government to take over more important roles such as marriages. Baptisms are no longer a thing, of course, but still, we could at least offer new mothers some support in addition to naming ceremonies and so on.” She babbled, unsure of where she had been going with that topic.

“Yeah, that sounds about right. Byley thought it’d be the case and it makes sense too.” The blonde retorted, smiling at her beloved after saying her new pet name. “So who should we talk to in order to get everything all done?”

“Well, congratulations are in order, you have just told the Emperor of your intention to host a wedding ceremony.” Edelgard said with a smirk, watching as their faces opened up at that prospect. “I assure you everything shall be ready within a week at the most, but I have one condition.”

“I don’t think you’ll let us talk our way out of it to begin with, but go ahead. What’s your condition, Emperor?” Byleth queried, lips tugging upward into a smile.

“That you let me be the one to see you off and actually seal the vows.”

To say the two lovebirds were shocked was an understatement. Their eyes wide in surprise, mouths agape though no word left them, hands still when before they had been fidgeting with each other… it was fun to say the least, that such an easy proposition had gotten that reaction out of them. Though of course it was even nicer to see that expression on Byleth, as she was slowly showing more and more emotions as days went by.

“What, do you think I’m not up to the task?” Edelgard asked after that had gone on from too long, a bit miffed if that did turn out to be the case. So she knew nothing about love, had never been in a relationship before. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t be the one to see her dearest teacher off with the woman of her dreams.

“N-not at all, truly. I just don’t want to overtax you with that on top of your responsibilities as Emperor.” The Professor answered as Mercedes emphatically nodded.

“And don’t you even dare denying it, I’ve seen you falling asleep over stacks of documents way too many times during the last few weeks.” The blonde added once she found her voice. “Who do you think called Dorothea to tuck you into bed and snuff out the candles?”

A slow blush crept up Edelgard’s cheeks at the mention of those little accidents. She loathed it when exhaustion took her over and she ended up waking beside a worried-looking Dorothea, who refused to leave her side until she made sure everything was in order and that El wouldn’t go back to work as soon as she was gone. More than once they had shared a bed for this simple fact, even. To know who had caused such a demise was actually Mercie made her feel even more self-conscious than before.

“Please, refrain from doing so in the future.” The Emperor said in a small voice, pinching the bridge of her nose to distract herself from her rapidly beating heart. Where had that come from too? “Back to the issue at hand, it won’t be a hassle at all to overlook wedding preparations and declare you married. If nothing, it will be great to take my mind off of state matters.”

Not only that, but the Emperor couldn’t actually let anybody else head the celebration in which her once-beloved professor would officially be bound to the woman she loved. No, she would do it herself – and make sure the whole event was flawless, almost as a way to say ‘thank you’ for all those years and how happy Byleth’s presence had made her, how it had affected her and changed her view and approach to the world as a whole.

It was perfect, after all. She no longer felt the sting of not being the one that the Professor chose, yet wanted to honor her all the same. Edelgard was Emperor now and had to focus on her plans, on how she wanted to bring down Those Who Slither in the Dark in the next few months and finally retire from the political realm. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t have some fun every now and then, or listen to what her heart wanted – and that was, to make sure Byleth knew who special she would always be to her and how she had cherished their time together. No, her teacher deserved the best and she would have the best.

“Hm, if you say so, El. But please don’t overdo it and take better care of yourself. Being married by the Emperor will only be amazing if we have an Emperor to see us off.” Byleth softly said, as she too had noticed the younger woman still looked as tired as she had when the war was being waged. Sure, there were other enemies they had to tackle as of then, but that could wait at least until their main forces recovered.

“It is a deal.” Edelgard smiled warmly, gathered her papers and pen before ambling to the door. “If you excuse me, there is a marriage to plan now. And congratulations, you two. You look amazing together.”

She left as fast as she could, giddy, like a child that had been put in charge of coordinating her own birthday party and allowed to make it as grandiose as her dreams. She was so distracted, already wondering where to put things, which decorations to use and who to contact for flowers and food that she missed a thoughtful-looking Dorothea standing outside the room, eyes carefully accessing her Emperor after overhearing that whole exchange.

The songstress knew better than anyone else how much Edelgard had suffered for that apparent rejection, then slowly picked up her pieces and risen to a new sense of self, one that had decided that indeed love was not meant for her. She had been the one to offer the smaller woman a hug and soothing words when necessary, trying to dissuade her of that stupid track of thoughts, to force her to rest whenever work became too much and calm her nightmares when they showed up in full.

On the other hand, Edie had always been there for the brunette when she was suffering due to the past, in bad dreams or waking hours, thoughts of the uncertain future she would lead now that there was no war to win and she had no clue what to do with herself. The prospect of freedom was too good, even more so now that she had long ago stopped caring about finding herself a rich suitor and simply decided to focus on healing all the mental scars she had been ignoring throughout the years.

And now there they were, Dorothea pondered as she watched the Emperor retreat all the way back to her study. She had no idea what to do with her life, but couldn’t ignore how her heart painfully squeezed whenever she saw the other woman working herself to death, screaming in terror during restless nights or having that small, almost concealed forlorn sheen in her eyes when things reminded her of horrors long gone. It would be foolish to forget all the times Edelgard had held her close, whispered words of praise and reminded her how valuable, important and unique she was. How adamantly the tiny Emperor had urged her to stop calling herself names whenever such bouts of self-hatred resurfaced, telling her she deserved better. Had deserved better from the world, that much was clear, but also from herself.

_Don’t be your worst bully and tormentor, Dorothea_ , Edie had said over and over, vowing she would always be there for her if she needed. _You are more than enough as you are. You are intelligent, caring, beautiful and amazing. I shall keep repeating it until the day you believe me. You deserve all the love in the world._

“All the love in the world…” The songstress echoed aloud, rushing away from the door as she heard Mercedes and Byleth approaching her ill-concealed hiding place. Suddenly everything wasn’t so convoluted and she knew what to do, how to proceed, what her future could look like.

If only she took a leap of faith and had the courage to say what she needed to.

During the days that followed that little exchange and promise, Edelgard could often be seen harassing seamstresses for the dresses to get ready soon, servants on how crooked the flower arrangements were positioned and how the cake probably wouldn’t be to one of the bride’s liking (it was tough to resist the temptation to ask Mercedes for help or one of her recipes, but she prevailed at the end). She took charge of hiring the necessary personnel, overlooking decorations and every small detail from the carnations which would decorate the place to the makeshift, simple altar in front of which she herself was planning to stand.

And no matter how the brides-to-be, Hubert, Ferdinand or Petra begged, threatened or tried coaxing her away from the entrance hall and other places where the ceremony would be hosted, she could not be stopped. The Emperor became a hurricane of motion and activity, showing a dedication to the whole thing that almost made her war efforts look pale and grim, the work of a lazy mind, in comparison. Almost being the key word.

By day three she was a bundle of frantic energy seeking release, yet the dark circles under her eyes and the pallor or her cheeks betrayed the sleepless nights she had needed to take in order to make sure her other tasks as Emperor were also taken care of. The last straw was when her body finally won over her steely will and, after leaning against walls now framed with golden and red fabric, she ended up unable to resist the pull of closing her eyes for a few seconds and actually fell asleep on her feet.

Luckily Dorothea had been close when that happened and she was able to gently pry a napping Edelgard from the main hall and bridal carry her to the Imperial chambers. As much as the songstress wished to remain there with Edelgard, then reprimand her for such an oversight when she managed to wake up, she knew how useless such a thing would be, how her advice would be ignored just as everyone else’s had been.

Years later, she would find out that wouldn’t exactly had been the case, as Dorothea was the only person the Emperor of Fódlan was more than willing to listen to, but that wasn’t a certainty she had right there and then. That was why she simply eased Edie into the mattress, pulled the crimson duvet over her and glanced around the scantly decorated room, looking for a way to be of more help to the exhausted woman.

Her emerald eyes were instantaneously drawn to the desk that stood just under the window, a plain design into beautiful light wood, a chair slightly askew and several piles of paper over it. Well, that was the most obvious answer, right? Edelgard’s tiredness stemmed not as much from the wedding as it did from how she had been overexerting herself since… well, probably since she had arrived in Garreg Mach as a student and Imperial Princess, to say the least. Those matters of state were taking away too much of her time, all of it actually, so that there was nothing left for her to take proper care of herself.

That wouldn’t do. Although Dorothea had almost zero knowledge when it came to politics, apart from the classes she had attended so many years ago back at the monastery, she rose from the bedside and took a seat on the chair, lighting the candle beside the papers so she could have a better look at said documents; she had kept the chambers dark and cozy in order to not disturb the Emperor’s slumber, thus needed the flames even though it was the middle of the day and there was more than enough luminescence outside.

The first paper was about boundaries between dueling lords. She had to stop from rolling her eyes in annoyance at the petty squabbles of nobles and their desire for more as she went on reading the plea for Imperial intervention on the problem. Underneath the document there was a plain sheet of paper with a very beautiful handwriting, which clearly belonged to Edelgard. She had already started drafting an answer, it seemed, so it would be better for the songstress to ignore that petition, even though she wanted nothing more than to remind them that soon they would be a noble no more and they could shove those titles in a certain bad place.

Most of the letters and documents went on like that and Dorothea tried her best to be reasonable as she pondered over issues and started drafting a solution just as Edie had, using the first answer as a model so she could write in a somewhat similar fashion. Sure, the smaller woman would have to rewrite everything later on but copying was less stressful or tiring than having to really formulate a reply from scratch.

With that in mind, the songstress did everything she could to concoct what she saw as feasible answers, given what little she knew about it, all the time stopping to think about better words or watch over the Emperor’s sleeping form.

Somehow Edelgard’s peaceful, even breathing filled her with strength and motivation to go on. Goddess, what wouldn’t she give to see Edie like that more often, completely relaxed and taking a break, with nary a worry in the world and enjoying the reality she had fought so long and so hard to create. To think she had consciously decided to abdicate from a normal life in order to pursue her dreams like that, it was…

It was scary to imagine all she had gone through, endured and come out alive from. Her heart once again squeezed at those thoughts, the pen in her hand becoming still as she was assaulted by the same strong feeling that seemed to surface whenever she found herself thinking about Edelgard.

It was something that had become even more common these last few days, perhaps due to the upcoming marriage and other similar love confessions arising here and there in between soldiers and members of the former Black Eagles Strike Force. It was hard to ignore that setting, the sudden relaxation in between conflicts as one realized who was the most important person in the world to them.

And of course that realization had dawned upon Dorothea as well. Now all she had to do, she decided as she came upon a last piece of paper that had no letter before it and soon was identified as a speech draft, was to make sure her own feelings would be addressed as well, all consequences to it be damned. With a sweet smile and a last glance over her shoulders at the sighing woman, the songstress poured herself into that task and started writing even though her own wrists were burning due to the repeated motion.

She was about to close the deal with beautiful, flourishing words she thought the Emperor would end up crossing out the moment she sat down to do her final version of the speech, when the sound of rustling bedsheet took her out of that stupor.

“Hm? What is going… Dorothea?” Edelgard’s voice was small and raucous, her senses dulled by the rather long rest she had unwillingly taken. She slowly propped herself to a sitting position, but couldn’t find it in her to stand up. “Are we in my room? But it is light outside and-“

“Hush, dear.” The songstress said as she got to her feet and approached the mattress, put a placating hand on the other woman’s cheek and caressed. The blush that gesture elicited wasn’t lost on her either. “You fell asleep during your duties as always and I brought you here.”

“Oh.” She retorted, glancing down in palpable shame. Something about that setting, how close they were and the fact that Dorothea’s fingers were still in her warming face – plus how she didn’t want them to leave at all – made her completely discombobulated. “I’m sorry, I should go back and make sure the main hall is-“

“Absolutely not. You have to stop that, Edie.” She softly rebuked, running fingertips down her neck, shoulder and outline of her arms before holding her hands. “You always tell me to take care of myself, to at least not call myself names when I can’t afford to find one good thing about me, yet you work yourself to the bone, quite unnecessarily so, and deny rest.”

“It isn’t unnecessary though. We have already done so much to make sure Fódlan was freed from the Church, now I need to make sure everything is organized before I can afford to retire. Then I will rest.” Edelgard protested, but the words felt empty even for her.

“Tsk, I find that hard to believe. Also, you do know you have to be alive in order to be able to retire, right?” The jest was light, but made them both guffaw. “If you keep going like that, there’ll be nothing left of you by the time you can give up your position and I would hate to see that.”

_I would hate to see that._ Those words echoed inside Edelgard’s mind and made her feel a warmth that, although unfamiliar, hadn’t been there for a long time. She had dulled her heart from such feelings after it became clear Byleth wouldn’t choose her. Yet it would be a lie if she said she hadn’t sensed them stirring once or twice whenever the songstress happened to be close.

“Heed your own advice.” The taller woman continued, more than aware she was also blushing due to the Emperor’s intense stare. Had she somehow revealed her hand a little bit earlier than she should? “No, even better. Today you’re forbidden to look at them, but your documents have been taken care of. Well, sorta. I’m sure you’ll have to correct some stuff and you won’t agree with everything I’ve written but –“

“I won’t agree with everything you have… Dorothea, have you been going through petitions and letters while I was asleep?” There were actual tears in Edelgard’s eyes as she finally glanced at the desk and realized her papers were stacked in different ways, not at all like how she was used to leaving them.

“What else did you expect me to do? Sit and watch you sleep, only for you to throw yourself back at work when you woke up? No, no. Again, you’ll have to forgive my lack of insight on some matters but well…” She was even more flustered than before, wondering if she had overstepped something, anything at all. “You’re free to come at me with that axe of yours if it’s too bad, but I tried. Just not today. Today you rest.”

Dorothea was actually surprised when she was pulled into a hug and squeezed, her chin resting slightly over the Emperor’s mane of silver hair. Of all reactions, that was the only one she hadn’t expected – nor was the kiss to the cheek she received a few minutes later, or the beautiful, sweet smile that followed it.

“You’re insufferable, do you know that? But… Thank you, truly. How… how can I even properly show my gratitude?” Edelgard stammered, too taken aback by that gesture. Did she even deserve someone like Dorothea by her side?

“Not that you actually have to thank me or anything, but… I do have a request.” As the smaller woman nodded, a breathtaking beam still on her lips, the brunette took a deep breath to center herself and said: “Let me sing in the wedding ceremony. It would mean a lot to me if I could, even if it were just the first one. I know you’ve already hired the best musicians in Fódlan for that, but –“

“Never mind them. If that is what you want, nothing will make me happier than to oblige. Sing as much as you want, my dear.”

So she had meant to say “my dear friend” but something in her made the sentence stop earlier. It was only fitting after all – the energy between the two of them that was certainly more than friendship.

Although Edelgard was indeed kept away from the remainder of the marriage preparations, it was exactly one week when everything was ready to go. The main gates of the Enbarr palace, as well as the small square in front of it, the wide, rocky stairs that led to the door and the entrance hall were decorated to high heavens in tones of red and gold, carnation wreaths and standalone flowers woven into silk making a stunning appearance.

A dais had been made with the thickest velvet carpet they could find – some products were harder to secure in post-war Fódlan, but they made do with what was available. That was especially true for all the food that had been cooked since dawn, as they were indeed expecting a large number of guests, but in any case it seemed that too had been successful.

News about the ceremony had been sent to the entirety of the continent, so that whoever wanted to prestige the incredible Professor who had guided the Emperor through her own darkness and the conflict itself would be able to attend. That, and the fact it would be the first wedding to be overseen and taken care of by the new government _and_ the Emperor herself, had surely raised the spirits of a population that had been dragged down by war and death for too long. It was about time they could attend a celebration of love, to be reminded about softer aspects of life in general.

Indeed, as soon as the sun emerged from the horizon in the beginning of that day, some people could already be seen at the stairs, kids running close to the palace walls and parents struggling to keep up with them but excited all the same. This went on happening as hours passed, citizens aiding with last-minute details such as positioning fresh vases of roses and carnations around the altar, pews and pretty much whenever they would fit. Tables were set close to the main staircase in the entrance hall, more as a way to block others from wandering inside the palace even though security indoors had been increased to prevent just that.

But the pride and joy of the entire setting was the altar itself, a simple round table covered with a white cloth embroidered in crimson and inlaid with some rubies here and there. Some innocent-looking ribbons would be placed in the center of it a few minutes before the event was set to begin and fresh rose petals would be laid to decorate it later on as well.

There was no religious icon whatsoever in there, which was expected but took some people aback the first time they saw it. Although freed from the tyranny of the Church, some of them still had habits hardly ingrained in their memories. It would take some time for the people to forget those rites and sights of old.

Yet by the time the sun was about to set and the palace was crowded with folks from all over Fódlan, there was no complaint about what the Emperor had put together. Rather, voices were raised in joy and excitement for the upcoming event, eyes darting around not only for appraising the decoration but also the members of the Black Eagles Strike Force coming back and forth as finishing touches were added to the whole scenario. Although many benches and chairs were scattered around, most of the guests actually felt more comfortable sitting on the floor, careful to not knock aside a vase or two.

They were assured it was about to begin when Bernadetta, Linhardt, Petra, Caspar and Hubert, all dressed to the nines in their preferred colors, entered the entrance hall from the sides and took seats on the front rows, which had been reserved for them to begin with. A few seconds later in came the musicians, who settled on chairs located to the side of the altar and the stairs, picked up their instruments and fiddled for a second, before Hubert nodded at them.

The song played for at least two minutes before they saw commotion from upstairs. There was a collective gasp once Edelgard herself descended, clad in a crimson dress that shimmered all the way down to her feet, shining as several golden and red beads caught and reflected candlelight. Her hair was down, a few strands stuck sideways just like in her monastery days, yet the ribbons that kept them in place were golden instead of purple, making a beautiful contrast against the silver of her hair.

Her steps were graceful and precise as she went on, a small smile upon her face not only at the celebration itself but also on seeing so many people united in order to watch her beloved teacher being sent off with the woman she loved. By Edelgard herself, no less. And the fact there were no more open hostilities towards her or how the church had been questioned was the icing on the cake. Yes, that was a great night for so many reasons.

When she finally reached the front of the altar, everyone in attendance actually jumped to their feet and bowed in very different ways. She was taken aback with the act and gestured for them to stop. Even though it was heartwarming to see it, that day wasn’t about her at all.

She let her gaze set on the top of the stairs again, just in time for Ferdinand to go down, arm in arm with a beaming Mercedes. Her sleeved dress was the color of sapphires and low cut in the front, with a rather discreet slit on the right leg. She wore a hairpin on her left that had small pieces of obsidian forming the shape of a feather. Ferdie wordlessly conducted her to Edelgard’s right, then bowed and took is place beside Hubert, both grinning as if it were their own wedding ceremony after all.

People were starting to get antsy and squirm around in their seats, apparently too excited to see the event actually start. As if on cue, they heard the sounds of steps descending the stairs and turned again. This time, not even the Emperor could keep herself from gasping at the sight.

Byleth was indeed beautiful in a sleeveless black dress, with gloves of the same color encasing not only her hands, but going almost all the way to her shoulders. There were slits on both sides of her dress, which fanned out at the skirts but hug her upper body perfectly, and on her exposed neck rested a golden necklace with a piece of ruby. Her indigo hair made a stark contrast to her hairpin, a small, eagle-shaped one made of rubies.

However, the one to really catch Edelgard’s attention was the woman who escorted Byleth downstairs and to her left side. Dorothea had surely outdone herself, wearing a red gown not unlike the Professor’s, though hers was sleeved and she had thrown in wrist-length gloves to the mix. There were some silver details both in the skirt and corset parts of the dress that shimmied as she meandered, her legs somehow managing to become visible with each languid step. Her brown hair was style in a messy bun, strands expertly framing her cheeks in loose waves.

Edelgard was rendered speechless, completely unable to stop gawking as the songstress bowed, their eyes locked all the way through the motion, then sat down beside Petra in the far end of the pew. She would have to discreetly make her way to another part of the room later on, but decided she shouldn’t miss seeing that important moment so up close if she had the possibility.

Perhaps asking Dorothea to stay there had been a mistake, El thought as she cleared her throat and needed more than just a moment to begin reciting the speech that had been drafted by said brunette (though she begged Edelgard to not accredit it to her at all) and concluded by the Emperor, though almost nothing had been changed from the original.

“It is indeed humbling to be here, in the presence of everyone that has chosen to attend this celebration of love after so much hardship.” Her voice wavered at first, as it had done all the times she had practiced saying those words out loud. “The war has only recently been won in favor of humanity, of equality and liberation from those who became corrupted by power and used an oppressive system of beliefs to enslave thought, action and expression. Yet even in the midst of hardness, of blood, sweat and tears, love has bloomed, showing us its strength and ability to prevail over all that has tried trampling over it.

“These two women that I now present to you have fought and led armies in order to free all of us. Yet before being fighters, commanders, healer and teacher, they were two beings that perhaps had been fated to meet, to interact and to grow alongside each other. To show this world what it means to love and to be loved and how there is never only one so-called right way to live, to become enamored and to profess such a beautiful feeling. They shall now walk their own path together, the one they feel as rightfully theirs, and may no one ever see fit to impose how this should be done. May their feelings show them the way. May they show each other the way, as they evolve and become more, become better, thanks to the love they share.

“Some say love is blind, yet it can also be the light that shines upon not only paramours, but on this world as a whole.” That was the part that Dorothea herself had written, with the rest being her own words. “I count myself lucky for the sole fact I got to know both of you, Mercedes von Martritz and Byleth Eisner. That I was able to learn from you, to share the burdens of this conflict and to emerge victorious. Thanks to your guidance and your care, we were able to triumph over the shadow which had been looming over Fódlan for too long.

“And on this day, it is more than a pleasure to come before you as Emperor and seal the vows you wish to share with the world. To congratulate you on finding each other and to make sure this celebration stands as an affirmation of all you feel.”

She stopped and turned to look at each of them, grabbed one of their hands in her own. The three had tears in their eyes, but none were spilled, lips dancing with the purest of smiles. It was actually happening. They were actually being able to celebrate a marriage after a war had been fought and won. That wasn’t a solemn gathering to mourn over the dead, but a festivity for life instead.

Edelgard’s mind worked through those thoughts, marking how foolish they were, yet also somewhat still hard to believe after everything they had gone through. Her left hand gently encased their wrists, while her right lightly wrapped them in red and golden ribbons. She had dutifully practiced the ancient ritual of handfasting, which had almost died as the church took over, grateful they were able to locate a book on the library that explained the procedure bit by bit.

When she was done, the brides smiled at one another and, although they had indeed each prepared a speech of their own, those words were forgotten. Those had become unnecessary as well, since everything about the women’s demeanor and the light in their eyes spelled the love, care and undying devotion they had for one another.

There were cheers when just staring became too little and they went for the kiss after all, making Edelgard’s eyes widen before setting back again into the warmth she was feeling for these two. Her Professor and her healer, joined together by way more than just her silly words and the ribbon on their hands. It was indeed a day to rejoice, she realized as her eyes met Dorothea’s dancing emerald ones for some reason.

A second and a wink later, the songstress rose to her feet and started humming as music began playing softly. She made her way to the musicians while intoning the first notes of that chant, using the gentlest inflection she could muster. So many people were crying at that point, wiping at their cheeks and eyes as they watched the Emperor, the kissing brides who soon pulled away from each other and stayed in a long embrace, swaying a little in time with the tune, the beautiful singer who was delighting them with such a sweet melody.

After the song concluded and there were general claps, Byleth, Mercedes and Edelgard started going out of the palace, finally revealing why the outdoors areas had been as decorated as indoors ones. Servants had lit some torches while the event was going on and they cast more than enough light for everyone to see the rocky grounds and the musicians, who settled down and soon began playing their assorted selection when enough people were out in the dreamy, starry night.

Although Dorothea had indeed been given permission to sing as much as she wanted, she would rather not keep herself away from her friends in general and one person in particular. She had been unable to glance anywhere else but at the Emperor herself, so stunning not due to that gown (though it certainly helped) but to her posture, the grace in her gestures as different people approached her to inquire about the new Fódlan and plans for the future, or if she could ever be present in more marriages like that.

She was so absorbed by the view that when a hand fell on her shoulder she squeaked and edged away from the touch, only to be met with a smirking Byleth, her yes radiant and no longer too probing as she had accused them of being once upon a time.

“Go to her, Dorothea.” The Professor said before the brunette could remember how to use words and offer proper congratulations.

“Wh- where is your wife?” She queried instead as a slow blush went to her cheeks. That was new, too, had been so every time the subject or thought of Edelgard was breached.

“Trying to convince a certain headstrong Emperor that _someone_ couldn’t stop staring at her while she sang the most beautiful piece ever.” Byleth’s beam widened and she laughed when her words were registered and the songstress opened her jaw in alarm. “Oh please, do you think we’re blind? We’ve started placing bets on when you’d get together.”

“By ‘we’ you mean…” She managed, almost stuttering, her head fully turning to catch an equally flustered Edelgard glancing at her, Mercedes partially blocking their view of one another.

“We as in, the entire Black Eagles Strike Force and some servants too. I told everyone not to bet real money and that it was a joke, but you would be surprised at how passionate they were at the whole deal.” The Professor guffawed. “Now stop wasting time with me and go get your girl.”

_Go get your girl_. Had that prospect ever felt worrisome to her before? Not at all. She was used to having nobles and commoners alike at her feet, courting her with empty gifts and emptier promises. She had learned to take everything with a grain of salt and never grow attached, to the point her heart didn’t even flutter when someone came to her with love vows anymore.

Oh how it wasn’t the case at all in that moment. As she crossed the improvised ballroom, dazedly avoiding dancers who waltzed or simply swayed in time with the easy ballad, her heart thundered inside her chest and each step made her feel like her legs were made of cement. It was as if she had never been touched by love before, she realized as Mercedes finally went away to join Byleth on their first dance and surprised lilac irises met her emerald ones.

But then, wasn’t that exactly what was going on?

Soon they were standing in front of one another and away from the center of the yard, Edelgard craning her neck in order to keep looking at her eyes. For the first time in what felt like forever Dorothea had no flirty, smug remark to be made. No, this wasn’t another one of her games or one more try at snatching a stable partner to ensue her future, she realized. This was serious, more serious than it had ever been for her.

“Edelgard, I-“ She tried initiating the conversation, unsure how much longer she would be able to stand her galloping heart.

“Would you honor me with this dance, Dorothea?” The Emperor said instead, her voice low and firm whereas her irises trembled with uncertainty.

Instead of verbally answering, the brunette placed a hand on Edelgard’s shoulder and laced their fingers on the other hand together. Though the noble began by taking a left step in sync with the song, it was a dance that had neither a leader nor a follower.

“Mercedes told me the most amusing story.” Edie uttered after a while, almost hypnotized by their slow rhythm and lingering glance. “She said a certain songstress couldn’t stop looking at me while singing about love.”

“Oh did she?” For a moment she wanted to say something feisty, like how impossible it was to not look at her, but it would be unfair to both, she concluded at last. “Well, she might not be wrong at all. I- I know I’m not the Professor, Edie, but…”

“Hush, give me a moment here.” The Emperor replied, pressing her body closer, trying to keep her thoughts in order through the haze of mirth that was enveloping them. “Dorothea, I am over the Professor. I have been for a while, too. You were there when it happened, as you also were when I succumbed to grief over it.” She stopped and sighed, then glanced at the two brides and how openly they were smiling, felt the happiness around them. “She will always be important to me, but because of that the only thing I want is for her to have all the love in the world. She deserves that.”

“You said the same thing about me a few times already. That I should have all the love, that I deserve it and so on.” The songstress commented, also drawing closer, so close their lips were mere centimeters apart. “What you seem to forget, my dear Edie, is that you, too, deserve all the love in the world.”

Before she could have second thoughts about the whole matter, Edelgard tilted her head and captured Dorothea’s lips on her own, gracing them with the lightest of pecks and allowing enough time in between those for the other woman to stop her if necessary. She only resorted to a full-on kiss when a palm gently left her shoulder, crept slowly over her neck and nestled on the back of her head, pressing her forward.

Eyes closed and dance forgotten, their lips parted and gave away into the gesture, sensing walls around them crumble as well as whatever lingering doubts about the entire thing. So their feelings hadn’t been only in their heads, in the small moments when their irises would meet and whisper to each other secrets their minds couldn’t rationally understand. That realization was ecstatic, made them grow bolder while kissing as they gave and took, enjoyed how soft it felt to being touched so earnestly and with so much care.

It was actually a torture when they had to pull away for air, eyes opening and locking on each other. It was as if nothing else existed apart from them, though eventually sounds of shuffling feet, hoots, applause and conversation did reach them in that limbo and they remembered where they had been all along.

The same light that had been in Mercedes’ and Byleth’s eyes was also surrounding them as they pulled away from the embrace and paced to the snickering newlyweds, fingers interlaced, shimmering with the energy that had finally brought them together after all that time. 

**Author's Note:**

> It's Edelgard's birthday! And yes, although this is not really a birthday celebration fic, I wanted to write something different for it. Hence the pairing (though Edelthea is too good, this is indeed my first attempt at writing them. Their supports are so nice, I think).   
> And let's be honest, no matter if it's her birthday or not, El does deserve all the love in the world. So there you have it.
> 
> Thank you for reading this and have a great week, everyone!


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